1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-layered ceramic electronic component capable of improving reliability by controlling fluidity of glass in an external electrode at high temperatures.
2. Description of the Related Art
In accordance with the recent trend for the miniaturization of electronic products, demand for a multi-layered ceramic electronic component having a small size and a high degree of capacitance has increased.
In accordance with the demand for a multi-layered ceramic electronic component having a small size and high capacitance, external electrodes of the multi-layered ceramic electronic component have also been thinned.
An external electrode paste contains a conductive metal such as copper (Cu) as its main material to thereby ensure chip sealing properties and electrical connectivity between an external electrode and a chip, and contains glass as an auxiliary material to thereby serve to provide adhesion between the external electrode and the chip simultaneously with filling voids at the time of sintering shrinkage of a metal.
In order to form a compact external electrode, a method of using copper powder having fine particles, a method of using a glass powder having fine particles, a method of increasing an electrode firing temperature, and the like, may be used.
However, in the case in which the fine copper powder is used, a contact property between the chip and the external electrode and compactness of the external electrode may be improved, but times required for reaching a firing initiation temperature and firing completion temperature are short, such that a blister defect generated since gas generated at relatively high temperatures after firing is not emitted may be generated.
Meanwhile, in the case of a low capacitance multi-layered ceramic electronic component, a surface state of an exposed nickel internal electrode after polishing may be degraded due to a relatively thick thickness of an internal dielectric layer, such that it may be difficult to form a copper-nickel alloy layer that should be formed at the time of forming the external electrode.
Therefore, it may be difficult to implement contact properties between a ceramic body and the external electrode, and in order to solve this defect, a firing temperature should be relatively high.
However, in the case in which the firing temperature is high, the glass may be softened before the copper-nickel alloy layer is formed such that it may move to a boundary surface between the ceramic body and the external electrode, whereby contact properties between the ceramic body and the external electrode may be deteriorated.